# Italian Bread



## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

Sponge

100gr. Bread flour
1 t. Dry yeast
1 C. water, 110º

Mix yeast and water, allow about 5 minutes. With a wooden spoon slowly mix flour into water, cover with a flour sack towel let sit overnight.

Dough

400 – 500 gr. Bread flour
1T. Dry yeast
2 T. Salt
2 C. Water 120º - 130º

Stir down the sponge then add water, yeast and salt, mix well.

Add flour ½ C. at a time mixing after each addition until a shaggy mass has formed, the dough should clean the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.

If using a mixer, use the flat beater to mix the sponge, water, yeast, salt and the first two or three additions of flour. Once the dough starts gaining mass switch to the dough hook.
Knead it for about 10 minutes; adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking, too much flour will toughen the dough.

Place a casserole half full of hot water on the floor of the oven, before putting dough in the oven to rise.

Let it rise for 1 1/2 hours, the dough needs to double in size.

Push the dough down, fold it in on itself a couple of times before turning the dough out and kneading it 10 minutes.

Return dough to the bowl and the bowl to the oven, do this for each rising.

Let it rise a second time until it has doubled in size, about an hour.

Push the dough down, fold it in on itself a couple of times before turning the dough out and kneading it 10 minutes. Let it rise a third time until it has doubled in size, about an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a baking sheet, shape it into a loaf with as little handling as possible.

Pour boiling water in to the casserole on the floor of the oven.

Bake the loaf at 400º for 15 minutes; turn the baking sheet around, remove the casserole then bake 300º for 25 –35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when the bottom is thumped.

© A. J. Di Liberti 2007


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## Papichulo (Jan 21, 2007)

THanks for the recipe!


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## Syekick (Jun 5, 2007)

It looks like it will make a great loaf. Thanks for the recipe.

Ah Italian bread. A crust so thick that you could almost pull your teeth out ripping off a hunk. After we left Sicily and returned to the States, I spent a decade trying to duplicate common Italian bread. I never could get the thick, hard crispy crust and honeycombed rough bread texture. I tried everything from oven bricks, steam, and every kind of flour in a five state area. (I was in Washington DC during most the time.) I miss that stuff.


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## sailchaser (Jun 16, 2007)

I love warm bread as much as MCS likes cake ,I'm going to give this on a whirl on wed my next day off. Thanks for the recipe


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## atlacatl (Sep 18, 2006)

Sounds like a great recipe, thanks!


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## duhman (Dec 3, 2007)

I'm making this now. It's on the second rising. If I am succesful I will post pictures and a review.


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## duhman (Dec 3, 2007)

Here is my first attempt at making Italian bread.










The loaf came out wide and not tall. I thought it would be more like frenchbread. I added all the flour to it but it may have needed more.
The crust was thin and crunchy like an eggshell with a thin tough layer just underneath. The inside was heavy and spongy. The main flavor was the yeast (Red Star original) that I used. Half the loaf was gone within 15 min. of taking it out of the oven. Everybody said it was great.
I made a salami, turkey and munster cheese with mustard sandwich.









Pretty good.
Hey, Demented, is this how it should turn out? Any suggestions? How about sourdough? Thanks for the recipe.


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

One thing you must do after taking a loaf from the oven, is wait a least a ½ hour before cutting the bread… If you don’t the bread takes on a spongy texture.

Making a sponge and allowing it to rise before using it develops greater flavor, that’s why you can really taste the yeast used.

The crust of your loaf looks floury and dry, you can brush egg wash (1 large egg beat with 1 tablespoon of water) on the loaf before you bake it for a crisper crust.

Cutting the top of the loaf with a sharp serrated knife or razor blade just before putting it in the oven will allow the loaf to expand more and get taller.

Lastly, don’t trust the oven!

The gas company will test and calibrate you oven free of charge, I trust you have a gas oven, if not wood burning.

If you don’t already have an oven thermometer get one, whether you’re baking or braising, a reliable thermometer will help.

Sourdough… I’ve been looking at and reading starter recipes for a dozen year, and have yet to make the leap.

This year, once the weather gets a bit warmer, say 80’s to 90’s I will make a sourdough starter.

Should I meet with success, I’ll be happy to share this starter with anyone who can come by and pick some up.

Anthony


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## duhman (Dec 3, 2007)

Thanks for the response, Anthony.
My oven is , unfortunately, electric, and I know the temperature is a bit low. Is there hope? The 400 I set to 400 and the 300 I set to 310. 
The crust was not very dry, the flour was from my hands when I was shaping the loaf, it brushed right off. Next time I won't flour my hands up so much. 
I think since I used a mixer that the dough did not take up the extra flour it would have if it was kneaded on a board by hand. 
My stove is gas, maybe I should install a gas oven.
Damn, there is a slippery slope to cooking, too.

-Lance


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

Good morning Lance,

Using a mixer is fine, that’s how I mix and knead most of the bread I make these days.

Keep at it, like most things it can take a while to get good at making bread.

Before long, you’ll know when the dough is right by feel.


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## okbrewer (Nov 26, 2007)

Anthony! Looks like we have similar 'passions', cigars, beer, mead, and bread! I make a lot of bread and pizzas and I am always experimenting with different formulas and techniques, so I will give this one a try.

Are you familiar with Peter Reinhart's books? I like them for the easy to follow formulas!

http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Reinharts-Whole-Grain-Breads/dp/1580087590

I usually have a sourdough starter in the fridge, but I didn't take good care of my last one, so I dumped it. I'll get another started soon, though, 'cause I like the slight tartness of a sourdough.

Bob R in OKC


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

okbrewer said:


> Looks like we have similar 'passions', cigars, beer, mead, and bread! I make a lot of bread and pizzas and I am always experimenting with different formulas and techniques, so I will give this one a try.
> 
> Are you familiar with Peter Reinhart's books? I like them for the easy to follow formulas!
> 
> ...


Morning Bob,

Cool, another baker, mead maker&#8230; have you been to gotmead.com?

I hadn't heard of Reinhart I'll take a look next time I'm in Borders.

The only bread book I've ever had is the "New complete book of breads" 1995, ISBN 0-684-81174-X

Want to add a new dimension (not dementia) to your bread&#8230;

Next time you bottle your mead (or beer), make bread that day using the fine lees and spillage left after racking, it makes for a loaf unlike any other you've had.

The gross lees left from primary fermentation, can and often do add an undesirable flavor to the bread.

Another use for these fine lees is in sauce making, again it's possible to create a sauce that has wonderful flavor unlike anything you'll find in the finest of restaurants.

I've yet to try my hand at sourdough, was talking with my wife this morning about starting one though.

The weather forecast for this week is in the 70's to 80's, thought that might be warm enough to get a starter going.

Best to you,

Anthony


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## okbrewer (Nov 26, 2007)

Anthony! I've not tried that with the lees before! Do you make a sponge or poolish from that or just make a dough? I have made many a loaf using homebrewed beer in place of the water. I also make 'spent-grain' bread putting some of the mashed grains from the beer making in the bread. Depending on how textured you like your bread, a cup or a little more of spent grains works nicely!

When I make a sourdough starter I use equal parts flour and water to make a thin slurry, let it sit in the kitchen covered with a muslin cloth (I put mine above the oven) and let the wild yeast do their thing. When I see yeastie activity I feed with more flour and might leave it out another day or so before I put it in the fridge. It is now a living thing, so it needs to be fed and taken care of! 

There are many sites that describe how to make a starter and Reinharts books all have a section on making a sourdough starter.

The yeast in my kitchen I guess are not too potent! I get just a slight hint of sourness, but I like it!

What kind of meads do you make? And Yes, I'm familiar with gotmead.com, though I haven't been there lately.

Bob R in OKC


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## Demented (Nov 7, 2006)

I’ve yet to make a sponge or starter, just use the lees and spillage as the liquid for the loaf.

Braggot has become what I do best, I make a Porter braggot that leaves beer drinkers staggering and mead makers weeping.

Finishes around 18% abv, with all the flavors you’d expect from a mature brew.

A number of my recipes are on gotmead in the brew log under the name dmntd.


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